Honestly everyone thank you so much for the support! I wanted to post chapter three by Friday but I really wasn't sure where I wanted this chapter to go or how to get there, and I'm so sorry for making you wait so long. I hope you enjoy and hopefully chapter 4 doesn't take as long

On a side note, I've switched up the timeline a bit, made some changes, and tampered with the ages, for those who are complaining about it not being canon (:

chapter 3: rallies for the undeserved

He had some doubts about the rally they were at.

The crowd protesting was small and not very loud compared to the supporters at the front, but that didn't mean they were giving up. Some of the taller people in the crowd and more noticeable Quirks were holding up large signs and shouting in checked anger at the rather stern lady at the podium ignoring them. Some of the messages ranged from QUIRKLESS IS NOT WORTHLESS to Down With The Hero Commission! and some words that Tenko didn't know - though Julie assured him he didn't need to know them quite yet.

As for Julie, she was one of the shorter people in the protest, but that didn't mean she wasn't leaving a lasting impression. Their spot in the crowd was roaring the loudest for equal rights for people with weak Quirks to people who didn't have one at all. Julie was using her own Quirk to draw attention to their small allies, which was Firelight, and kept a tight grip on Tenko's shoulder to make sure he didn't run off or someone separated them.

"We have as much rights as any other person on the planet!" she shouted, and was backed up by the people around her. Some were trying to punch their way through the crowd, while others remained stationary or were uprooted by Hero-supporters. He knew a fight would start soon. "You can't just keep pretending we don't exist or aren't apart of your fucking society!" she continued, though Tenko didn't understand the last part. When he asked her a few months ago what it was, she said it was English and that she'd give him lessons when he was older. He was however able to recognize it as a swear based on the tone she used and look on her face. He knew That Face got the job done.

The stern lady at the podium continued on with her speech like they weren't even there as Pro-Heroes Tenko recognized from his Hero magazines eyed the crowd warily, as if waiting for them to surge forward and start a fight. He didn't like that they didn't seem to care about the fact they were even holding a rally to begin with. Were all Heroes this arrogant? He had rarely seen any in his time with Julie other than on the TV, but he was thankful for it. Tenko didn't know what he would do if he ever met one.

"We deserve to fuckin' be heard, ya fuckers!" a particularly loud voice roared from the back of the crowd - those words he recognized. Many people startled at the sound, and Tenko flinched involuntarily at the swears. The anger in it was all too familiar to that of his dad, and Dad had the habit of lashing out when he thought he wasn't being obeyed. The open hostility of the man in the crowd had Tenko curling into himself and fighting the urge to cry.

He's dead now, you killed him, you'll be fine as long as Julie's here, his thoughts kept repeating in a loud mantra, but it wasn't loud enough to block out the yells of the crowd. His treacherous mind kept telling him to run and hide and stay away, stay away or you'll get hurt.

His heart leapt up to his throat when someone bumped into his shoulder. The next moment he was on the ground. Tears filled his eyes and his arms wrapped around Julie's leg tightly. Don't let go you'll get hurt, too loud too loud to o lo u d

Julie's hand wasn't on his shoulder anymore, and Tenko felt them shake as his buoy was lost and he was left to drown at sea.

More shouts echoed, but that lady just kept talking, and the sound of her microphone just kept getting louder and louder until it was all he could hear and his mind froze and he couldn't breathe and he was drowning and Julie was g o n e-

And then she wasn't. There she was, crouched in front of him with her hand in his hair, deftly stroking some tufts out of his eyes so he could see her. The freckles on her cheeks were glowing that sunset yellow that Tenko loved, and his thoughts came back to him as he stared at nothing but her. The light comforted him as he told himself to focus on them and nothing else as his breathing calmed. He didn't even realize how faint he felt until her touch grounded him and everything else fizzled out around them. It was only him and her and nothing else, like it was supposed to be.

"It's okay," she was saying, and it wasn't muffled like everything else; her voice the only source of calm in an ocean of chaos. His beacon back to shore. Tenko eagerly clung to her words like a raft as she reassured him that he was safe and with her and that he couldn't get you. "It's not that bastard," she murmured, "it's only Yamamoto. His Quirk let's him amplify his voice like a megaphone, but he wouldn't hurt you. I swear, Tenko. As long as you have me you never have to worry again." I'll always protect you, was what she didn't say, but Tenko heard it.

Years later and he still panicked when a door was closed too loud or an adult got angry. The smell of whiskey still made him freeze up and want to hide and he couldn't smell anything but his dad's breath, and dogs barking only reminded him painfully of his own.

Julie pulled down the face mask he wore to get a better look of his face, and Tenko pulled himself from dark memories to Julie.

"Let's go home, okay?" she said gently, standing up to fold her sign and stuff it into her backpack. Tenko gave a shaky nod and brought his arms up to his chest in an effort to protect himself, not protesting when she scooped him up and held him close to her.

Home, he thought wistfully. Three years later and he still couldn't believe it was anything but a dream.

..

Crashes and screaming, the sound of his father yelling and Yamamoto's Megaphone Quirk giving more volume to the rumbling of the ground and his dog's pained whimper before he fell apart in his hands, a silent scream ripping itself from Tenko as his sister died before him. Grandma screaming in terror at the monster before her and Mama crying for her lost husband-

Tenko woke up screaming and sobbing, hugging his pillow close to him. It disintegrated at his touch, but he didn't notice nor care.

Julie was at his side in moments to calm him down. She didn't leave his side again.

The next day she bought him another game.

..

Julie knew it was too soon to bring Tenko to a rally the moment they got there, but his eager eyes and speed-fast questions tore down those walls in only minutes. The little twerp knew exactly how to get to her.

He had been so eager to meet some of the other protesters, and she couldn't resist those adorable little red eyes. She did hesitate considering he was only nine, but he had promised to stay by her side the whole time and behave. No provoking, no fights, no Quirk, and never take off my mask, I remember, Julie, he had said after her numerous warnings.

After their first year together, missing posters had gone up asking people for anything they knew regarding Shimura Tenko and for him to be brought in for questioning. It had even been on the news for a few weeks after she found him, and the poor boy had been terrified to leave her side longer than a moment. Julie knew for a fact that he thought she would turn him in for the murder of his family, but she knew all too well exactly how dangerous Quirks could be for beginners. Back in the States, she knew more than enough people that had accidentally hurt themselves or others when they first got their Quirks, or even in their teen and adult years because they were just that dangerous.

She couldn't bear the thought of him being taken away, even if he was a murderer. Accidents happen, and she'd be damned if that little boy spent the rest of his life in prison. From his skittish behavior and the news reports alone, it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out something funny was going on in the Shimura household with nobody there to stop it.

All it took was those hidden tremors and stray tears for her to do everything in her power to keep him safe.

He hardly went out into the backyard in his first year living with her, and he always had her by his side the entire time. When he was finally ready to leave for longer periods of time to help her get groceries, he always wore thick gloves to stop him from accidentally dusting anything and a black face mask to keep anyone from recognizing him. He seemed to take comfort in something covering his face. No matter what, she'd always protect him.

Even if it meant going against Heroes and everything they stood for.

..

Pain burned him down to the bone, and the scorch marks that maimed his flesh stood out against his pale skin like a neon sign. He couldn't help whimpering at the sight of them, and the rain thundering down from above only worsened the ache in his body. Tears mixed with the blood and rain spilling down his cheeks and his throat felt scraped raw from the screaming. The incident had only happened a few hours ago, but it was still fresh on his mind, playing in an infinite loop he couldn't stop.

Moaning lowly, he stumbled behind some trash bins that were spilling over and collapsed in a heap in a muddy puddle; he didn't even have the strength to scream when his burn marks hissed when the water touched them.

This is how I die, huh… he thought bitterly, staring up at the sky. The clouds blurred together through his tears, and the only color he saw was gray. Must be close to nightfall, he thought absently. He doubted he would make it till morning.

In the end, he supposed it wasn't too bad. Father…no. Endeavor hasn't been Father for a long time, his mind reminded him.

A hiss escaped him as he clenched his teeth, remembering the smell of his own charred flesh and how his nostrils stung from the smoke clinging to his clothes. Ash filled his lungs until he couldn't breathe, but Endeavor didn't care as he kept throwing fireball after fireball after him, yelling and screaming at him to dodge and counter. Some fucking game of dodgeball. He almost laughed, but it turned into a bloody cough.

The only thing he could ever really regret was not making the bastard suffer in turn. After the hell he put Touya through, and all he could do was lay down and die like a fucking rat? No way in hell. Endeavor would pay for everything and more, Touya swore to himself. He'd take away his most "prized possession," his house, his money, his reputation, everything. Only when the fucker was lying on the ground, writhing in pain and whimpering like Touya had would he put an end to his misery.

Everything and more, everything and more, everything and more… he chanted quietly as his conscience faded and the pain ebbed away.

.

I know I know, I don't like it either. I hope you tolerated it regardless and the next chapter should be up sooner. See you then!